John Askey says Port Vale have to sign 'winners' this summer to stop them being dragged into another relegation fight next season.

The Valiants finish their season at Bury on Saturday having ended their home campaign with last weekend's dismal 1-0 defeat at home to Macclesfield.

Askey is out of contract in the summer but would like to stay on and is likely to be offered a new deal having steered Vale away from relegation trouble since he was appointed on February 4.

He says recruitment of players will be crucial if Vale are to give fans some reward having been relegated from League One in 2016/17 and then had two seasons struggling just to stay in the Football League.

Read More

He said: "Whether it is me or it is somebody else, it needs sorting. It has happened now for the last two or three years at the football club so there needs a change. They need people coming in who are winners and who can get the club into a good position next season.

"Whether that is just to stabilise the club...but you don't want to be floating around relegation, not a club like Port Vale in League Two."

Port Vale boss John Askey

Askey says there are some players already at Vale Park who could play a part next season. He explained: "It needs some players coming in who are better than we have got and then some of the players who are here will look better. When we had to get safe they have shown there are some players here who are good enough. It just needs players coming in who can help those sort of players."

Read More

What's happened at Port Vale this weekend

He added: "I think things will be sorted at the football club pretty soon one way or the other. For myself there is no rush, I think it is more for the football club getting itself into a position where it is ready. Because as a manager, as a club, this is the most important time of the season. "